arch1999

1999 News and Results
Gold Cup Ben Franks Roy Higson Waterworth Cup Tollemache BBL Simultaneous MacFarlane Cup Brighton Summer Congress President's Cup Huggill Trophy BBL Summer Congress

ALAN MOULD'S TEAM WIN GOLD CUP

Congratulations to Alan Mould and Gary Hyett whose team (also Howard Melbourne, Jim Mason, Martin Jones and John Collings) won the Gold Cup on the 12th December. This is Britain's most prestigious teams event and they have now won the trophy twice in three years. They beat Unil Durmus's team by 31 IMPs in the final.

Ben Franks Pairs 5/12/99

Congratulations to winners Edward Levy & Mike Byrne pictured below with trophy. They both come from the South of England and are studying at Manchester University. Nice to see young players participating and winning. They also recently came 6th nationally in the BBL Simultaneous Pairs.

Edward Levy and Mike Byrne

They qualify for the Corwen Trophy (EBU inter county pairs competition).

1st Edward Levy Mike Byrne (approx 59%)

2nd Irving Blakey Joy Blakey (6 MPs behind)

3rd Tom Middleton Alan Nelson (about 57%)

4th Mark Halliwell Jeff Smith (about 56%)

The above 4 qualify for the Corwen

5th Kath Nelson and Michael Newman

Roy Higson 1920-1999

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Roy on November 20th. Roy was one of Manchester's finest players, representing England in Camrose matches and winning the National Pairs twice in 1960 and 1961. In the late sixties and seventies he played little, devoting his energies to tournament directing, serving as chief tournament director of the EBU for many years until his retirement. Latterly, he began to play again, mainly in local events, but his occasional forays into national tournaments were usually successful. Last year he represented Manchester in the Pachabo Cup, finishing 7th and was 5th in the BBL Swiss Teams at Buxton in the summer. He had lost none of his skill and was still one of the finest card players in the area. He will be remembered by all who knew him for his dry wit and friendly manner.

Our condolences to Mary and all his family.

The funeral to celebrate the life of Roy Higson was held at Stockport Crematorium on Friday 26th November. About a hundred people attended, apart from close family, all were from the bridge playing community showing the great respect that they had for Roy. This was probably one of the biggest gatherings of Manchester bridge players for a long time. Represented were officers of the EBU, fellow tournament directors, officers of the Manchester CBA and friends from the local clubs that he played at. In the address the priest spoke of his great skill as a player, his organisational abilities as a tournament director and his friendliness and wry sense of humour. He also mentioned his love of red wine. At the buffet afterwards organised by the family at Manchester Bridge Club, his step daughter Chrystal thanked everyone on behalf of the family for the hundreds of letters and cards of sympathy that Mary had received.

Waterworth Cup (Merseyside)

This pairs event on the 4th December 1999 was won by Steve and Tracy Capal of Manchester, Bernard and Rhona Goldenfield were 5th.

Manchester just fail to qualify in Tollemache

The Manchester Team of Gary Hyett, Howard Melbourne, Michelle Brunner, Boris Ewart, John Hassett, Bill Hirst, David Whyte, David Barton, Mike Ash and Robert Ferrari (npc Bernard Goldenfield) came a very close third in their qualifying section of the EBU inter counties team of eight on 27-28th November 1999 after holding second place for most of the weekend.

Tracy wins BBL Simultaneous

Congratulations to Tracy Capal and her sister-in-law Hazel Capal who won the BBL Simultaneous pairs on 14th October 1999 with a fine score of 73.4% at the Besses of the Barn heat. Over 2800 pairs played in this event.

This hand from the simultaneous pairs on 13th Oct 1999 was interesting and not fully analysed in the booklet.

Board 17 Love All Dealer North

	84
	J1097532
	8
	853
A9		Q53
AQ		84
AKQJ1073		542
K9		J7642
	KJ10762
	K6
	96
	AQ10

West	North	East	South
-	Pass	Pass	1S
3NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

After a quick auction, West feeling fairly confident about the success of his contract, North leads a Spade to the 3, 10 and Ace. Enter dummy with the 3rd round of diamonds and lead a club. South must defend extremely accurately by taking the Club Ace, the Spade King and exiting with a club to hold West to ten tricks. If South ducks the club, then West wins the King and cashes the rest of the diamonds to squeeze South down to the Spade King, the Club Ace and the Heart K6. West then exits with a black card forcing South to concede the heart finesse for 11 tricks.

Manchester win MacFarlane Cup

Congratulations to the Manchester team of Jeff Smith, Steve Capal, Tracy Capal and Boris Ewart who won this inter county invitation event at Derby on Sunday 25th October 1999 by a large margin finishing +101 IMPs over 48 boards with the second team on +76 IMPS. This was Manchester's first success in the event since 1996.

EBU Brighton Congress Aug 99

Notable Manchester results

Swiss Pairs winners Kath Nelson with Steve Eginton of Berks and Bucks

Brighton Bowl winners Mike Ash with a partner from Oxford and a pair from Lancashire

Swiss Teams winners Jeff Smith and Steve Capal with Stuart Matthews and Alan Stevenson of Merseyside

Play with the experts winners Alan Nelson with Matthew Kime

Kath Nelson and Steve Eginton

Congratulations to Kath Nelson who playing with Steve Eginton (ex Manchester now Berks and Bucks) pictured holding the trophy (in our front room) won the Swiss Pairs in a tight finish. This was the final hand.

	98763
	84
	9863
	97
2		QJ
AKQJ63		102
QJ7		A542
102		AQJ54
	AK1054
	975
	K10
	K83

West	North	East	South
Reese	Eginton	Kay	Nelson

-	-	1C	1S
Double	Pass	1NT	Pass
3NT	End

Kath failed to find the killing high Spade lead and thought that she had blown it when declarer made 10 tricks on a low Spade lead. Steve however pointed out that 4H was making with an overtrick. -630 was worth about 80% and they won by 1 VP. (Thanks to Brian Senior for the report of this hand reproduced from the tournament bulletin)

Mike Ash was in the Brighton Bowl winning team.

Jeff Smith and Steve Capal playing with Alan Stevenson and Stuart Matthewsof Merseyside won the Swiss Teams.

(Pictured below with David Harris EBU Vice Chairman)

Photo of Swiss Teams Winners

Alan Nelson completed a double for the Nelson family by winning the Monday night Play with the Experts event with Matthew Kime.

President's Cup 11-12/07/99

The President's Cup inter county tournament at Bradford was poorly attended this year with only 4 counties entering teams. Winners were Yorkshire with Lancashire 2nd, Manchester 3rd and Merseyside and Cheshire 4th. The Manchester team was Fred Bell, John Roberts, Irving and Joy Blakey, Eve Lighthil and Raymond Semp, Alan and Kath Nelson.

Huggill Trophy 04/07/99

This inter county triangular match between Manchester, Merseyside & Cheshire and Lancashire was won comfortably by the Manchester Team of John Holland, Boris Ewart; David Whyte, David Barton; Rodney Lighton, Roy Higson; Joy & Irving Blakey; Eve Lighthill, Sid Travers; Pauline Lang, Malcolm Robinson; Mike Ardron, Mark Halliwell; Mike Goldsmith, Iain Richardson. Lancashire were second and Merseyside & Cheshire third.

BBL Summer Congress 25-27/06/99

Notable Manchester Results

Mixed Pairs

1st Michelle Brunner & Jim Morris

Swiss Pairs

4th Michelle Brunner & Boris Ewart

Swiss Teams

1st Peter & Joyce Hishmurgh, Malcolm Robinson & Pauline Lang

5th Fred Bell & John Roberts, Rodney Lighton & Roy Higson

Congratulations to Malcolm Robinson, Pauline Lang, Peter and Joyce Hishmurgh on winning the BBL Swiss Teams at Buxton on Sunday 27th June - see Results

Included in this victory was this fine effort by Peter Hishmurgh. Playing in a precarious 6H after West had opened 1S. Peter ruffed the Ace of Spades lead crossed back to hand with a club, led the Spade Queen and ruffed it when covered, then cashed the Heart Ace, played 3 rounds of diamonds to discard the rest of his Spades and returned to hand with another club. The Heart Queen then pinned East's doubleton Jack.

Void

Axx

AKQxxx

AQxx

QJxx

Q10xxx

x

KJx